"Grandpa, everyone."
"When did you get back?"
Just then, Miu Fūrinji, who had gone to make tea for Okabe, walked in from outside. Seeing the scene inside, her brain short-circuited for a moment.
How long had she been gone? Why was everyone back already?!
Why was Okabe busy filling out family information, while Ikaros held two ten-thousand-yen bills in her hand, unsure whether to put them in her wallet or keep holding them.
So fast!!
Could it be that she was about to get a new junior disciple?!
"Miu, you're back."
"Yes. When did you get back, Grandpa? I didn't see any of you in the courtyard just now."
"We just returned. We must have just missed each other."
Hayato Fūrinji looked at Miu Fūrinji as she brought over the hot tea, a kind smile on his face. He then watched as she began to distribute the cups.
"Please, have some."
"Thank you. Everyone, please try the macarons I brought. They're a bit on the sweet side, so they're perfect to eat with tea."
Looking at the hot tea in his hands, Okabe seemed to remember something. He quickly opened the box of macarons he'd brought and distributed them to the masters before him.
"Apa-apa, macarons? Delicious!"
Looking at the small sandwich cookie in his hand, Apachai Hopachai lowered his head slightly, then popped the macaron into his mouth. His eyes instantly lit up.
"A Western dessert, is it? It's my first time seeing one. I recall these little things are quite expensive. For the same price, you could probably buy a huge box of mung bean jelly cakes."
Kensei Ma found a chair and sat down. He first took a sip of tea, then picked up a macaron and took a bite.
He had chosen a rose macaron. Its inner flavor slowly blossomed as it was washed down with the tea, the originally straightforward sweetness reconfigured by the tea's polyphenols into a more complex profile.
"I personally think this orange blossom macaron tastes the best. Miu, you should try it."
"Thank you! It looks amazing!"
As he spoke, Okabe turned the corner of the box containing the orange blossom macarons towards Miu Fūrinji. The girl clapped her hands together, her eyes filled with anticipation.
Looking at the exquisite gift box in Okabe's hands, she twitched her nose, taking in the faint floral scent emanating from within, a cheerful expression appearing on her face.
Because Ryōzanpaku's finances weren't very good, it was the first time she had ever seen this type of dessert. It looked quite novel, but she had no idea how it would taste.
"What a tiny cookie."
Taking the macaron from Okabe, Shio Sakaki regarded it like a jelly bean, casually tossing it into his mouth. "Crunch~ Crunch~ It's not bad, just too sweet. Perfect with tea, though."
As he spoke, he brought the tea in his hand to his lips and, ignoring the scalding heat, drained it in one hearty gulp.
"Koff-koff~ Haha~"
Meanwhile, Tochumaru watched his master pick up a rose macaron, wagging his ribbon-tied tail and squeaking, his beady eyes filled with longing.
"You can have a taste too, Tochumaru."
Seeing Tochumaru's eager expression, Shigure Kōsaka offered him the macaron.
Seeing this, Tochumaru immediately grabbed the macaron, which was bigger than his own face, with his tiny paws. He took a careful bite and then began to "koff-koff" excitedly, his whiskers dusted with fine sugar crumbs.
"Sweet, but not unpleasant."
Shigure Kōsaka watched the happy Tochumaru, then picked up another piece for herself. Closing her eyes, she chewed slowly, savoring the feeling of sweetness spreading through her mouth.
"Rose, honey, and lychee flavors," she commented thoughtfully, looking down at Tochumaru, who was still diligently gnawing on the rose macaron. "Do you like this?"
Hearing Shigure Kōsaka's voice, Tochumaru lifted his little head and gave a contented "koff" in response, his paws clutching the rose macaron tightly.
"I'll buy you some next time," Shigure Kōsaka promised, reaching out to brush the sugar crumbs from Tochumaru's whiskers before patting his head a couple of times.
However, perhaps because her finger had sugar on it, Tochumaru shivered uncomfortably and shook his head, then, quite the neat-freak, raised a paw to scratch himself.
"Macarons. This dessert was first invented by the Italians, then spread to France where it flourished, becoming a classic French pastry. Generally, they are eaten with coffee or a slightly bitter black tea.
However, this one seems to be a modified version. The sweetness isn't as intense as the French kind, so it can be eaten on its own. The rich orange blossom fragrance must be some kind of innovation.
Looking at the small macaron in his hand, Akisame Koetsuji began his quiet critique. As Ryōzanpaku's pastry master, he naturally knew how to make this dessert as well.
It was just that because they were so sweet, they didn't quite suit Japanese tastes, so he had basically never made them at Ryōzanpaku. The last time he had was over a decade ago.
"Hahaha, having them once in a while is a nice novelty. It's all a kind gesture from little Okabe."
Hayato Fūrinji chatted heartily, quickly eating two pieces along with his tea.
Beside him, Miu Fūrinji also had a blissful expression, enjoying the sweet pleasure of the macarons.
"There's the sweetness of orange blossom, but also the characteristic slight bitterness of citrus, almonds, dark chocolate, and a small amount of orange zest. What a unique flavor!"
If the other macarons were mostly sweet, then this one was a combination of sweet and bitter. And this bitterness wasn't unpleasant, but a subtle kind that cut through the richness.
The combination of the two made the flavor of this orange blossom macaron far superior to the others; it was the MVP of the four types.
"Open your mouth, Ikaros."
"Okay."
Seeing that Ikaros wasn't moving, Okabe proactively brought the jasmine macaron in his hand to her lips. The next moment, she opened her mouth and bit down.
Amidst the faint sound of the almond shell cracking, her tongue unconsciously touched Okabe's fingertip.
A warm, soft sensation suddenly enveloped his knuckle, sticky from the macaron's sugar shell. A ripple appeared in those usually vacant eyes, and a blush crept onto her face.
The sensation came and went in an instant. By the time he registered it, Ikaros had already turned her head away, clearly embarrassed by her action.
Having spent five years in human society, her emotions were still faint, but she had learned some common sense. She understood that it was improper for an Entertainment-Type Angeloid to do such a thing to her master, unless the master requested it.
"By the way, Okabe-kun, where would you like to start your training?"
"Ahem."
Hearing Miu Fūrinji's question, Okabe, who had been lost in the wonderful sensation of Ikaros's lips, snapped back to reality and coughed awkwardly a couple of times.
"I'd like to start by building my physical strength. In my mind, practicing martial arts is about training the body. As long as I improve my stamina and physical power, mastering everything else will be much easier."
After a moment of thought, Okabe stated his idea.
"It seems you've really given this some serious thought, kid. You understand the need to polish the fundamentals first, unlike those impatient fools who know nothing but want to learn powerful moves right from the start."
Hearing Okabe's answer, several people present showed surprised expressions.
The biggest taboo for martial arts beginners is to be overly ambitious. For a five-year-old child like Okabe to understand this showed a mentality more mature than many adults.
"As for the fundamentals..."
Hayato Fūrinji ate his macaron and drank his tea, pondering who at Ryōzanpaku would be most suitable to teach him.
"I think it would be best to have Akisame teach him."
Shigure Kōsaka leaned lazily against the wall of the room, her weapon resting beside her. She held a macaron in her right hand, with a cup of warm tea next to her.
"Hey, hey, me?"
Akisame Koetsuji wore an expression of disbelief.
"I see. Akisame is used to teaching."
"Besides, if it were anyone else, they might actually end up killing him."
Hayato Fūrinji's words were teasing. Compared to Akisame Koetsuji, the others present lacked teaching experience and could easily use too much force and injure a disciple if they weren't careful.
"That's true. Master Akisame is the most sensible one among them. If he teaches him personally, Okabe-kun will definitely be able to get the hang of it quickly."
Miu Fūrinji also showed an expression of agreement upon hearing Shigure Kōsaka's suggestion.
Of the masters present from Ryōzanpaku, each one was worse than the last when it came to holding back. Only Akisame Koetsuji knew restraint. No one was more suitable to be a beginner's instructor!
"Watching your movements, I can tell your physical condition is quite good. Have you never had any martial arts training before? Or have you been exposed to some?"
After taking a moment to process it, Akisame Koetsuji finally accepted the fact that he was going to be a teacher. He stepped in front of Okabe and asked about his current situation.
"None. But I was born with a physique different from ordinary people, and I have good control over my body. I can flexibly control its various parts."
Okabe naturally couldn't mention the existence of the system, but he didn't hide his physical condition either. He attributed it all to his parents, saying he was born with it.
"I see. You have good body control. That makes things easier."
"By the way, are you a chef? I saw the luggage you brought; it seems to be unique to the famous Totsuki culinary family. It even has the Totsuki family crest on it."
As he spoke, Akisame Koetsuji glanced at the suitcases Okabe and Ikaros had brought. The emblem of the Totsuki family was indeed printed on them.
"I'm still in training to become a chef. My cooking in general is pretty average, but my knife skills and stir-frying techniques are relatively solid."
Hearing Akisame Koetsuji's words, Okabe scratched his head. Although he wanted to say he was a chef, he felt his skill level was still far from it.
"Such a humble child."
"I have a general understanding of your situation now. Since your purpose for learning martial arts is for the sake of your cooking, I will teach you through the way of cooking. Follow me to the noodle workshop.
Yes, sir!"
Hearing Akisame Koetsuji's words, Okabe responded with excitement and trotted after him.
Ikaros immediately followed, like the world's most loyal bodyguard, constantly watching over him.
The others watched the departing backs of Okabe, Akisame Koetsuji, and Ikaros, finding it uninteresting. Before long, they all dispersed to attend to their own business.
Only Shigure Kōsaka remained, staring blankly at Okabe's retreating back. His earlier words echoed in her mind: he said his knife skills were pretty good.
Perhaps they could exchange pointers sometime.
"We're here. This is the place."
Pushing open the door to the noodle workshop, a warm aroma of flour and yeast washed over them.
"The smell of flour and yeast is so rich. It gives you a sense of comfort. Cooking in a place like this must make it easier to calm your mind."
Twitching his nose and taking in the dense aroma in the air, Okabe wore a happy expression.
"Flour is a gift from Mother Earth, and yeast is a living microorganism. Both are often used in home cooking, representing a simple, down-to-earth happiness in the human psyche."
Hearing Okabe's sentimental remark, Akisame Koetsuji offered a simple explanation before walking over to the cooking station.
He rolled up his kimono sleeves, scooped flour from a ceramic jar, and piled it into a small snowy mountain on the kneading board.
"The fundamentals of martial arts are like kneading dough." He plunged his hand into the center of the flour, slowly forming a crater.
"Water must be added in stages, so you can observe how the flour absorbs it."
As he spoke, warm saltwater trickled down his fingertips while his other hand began to mix in a circular motion, turning the flour into shaggy clumps, and then into large flakes.
Before long, a ball of dough gradually took shape in his hands and was placed on the board.
"This is called 'unleavened dough.' Generally, you only need warm water to mix it, which is enough to maintain the flour's internal gluten structure. But I added some salt to the warm water to help increase the dough's elasticity and extensibility."
After letting it rest for a moment to allow the water and remaining flour to integrate, Akisame Koetsuji once again began to knead it with skillful force.
This time, the dough was no longer bumpy and uneven as it was at the beginning, but had become exceptionally smooth.
"Adding salt enhances the extensibility of the unleavened dough, giving it a firm and chewy texture, suitable for making all kinds of noodles, potstickers, dumplings, and other pasta dishes."
Seeing Okabe's serious expression, Akisame Koetsuji patiently explained the practical applications of unleavened dough.
"Are there many different types of dough?"
Okabe asked curiously. He really only knew about unleavened dough and leavened dough—one without yeast, one with yeast, and that was it.
"That's right, there are many types of dough. However, at your current level, you don't need to learn that many. You just need to remember the four basic types of dough."
"The four basic types of dough?"
Okabe once again looked confused.
Because he had previously focused his research on stir-fried dishes, his knowledge of dough-based foods was completely superficial. He could knead dough and make pasta, but if you asked him to explain the principles behind it, he wouldn't be able to.
It couldn't be helped. Bai'an and Hong'an are the two major categories of Chinese cuisine.
He hadn't even fully mastered Hong'an yet; if he were to devote a large amount of time to studying Bai'an, he would likely end up neglecting both.
"Leavened dough, unleavened dough, scalded dough, and oil dough. We call these the four basic types of dough.
Leavened dough is dough risen with yeast. After it's fully proofed, its volume is double that of ordinary dough. It's suitable for making things like meat buns and steamed buns, dishes that require a fluffy and soft texture.
Scalded dough is divided into two types: semi-scalded and fully-scalded.
Scalded dough is made by using boiling water to completely break down and destroy the gluten in the flour, so it lacks elasticity. Instead, it has a soft and glutinous texture. It's suitable for making sweet cakes and oil cakes, which won't harden after being fried and cooled.
Semi-scalded dough, on the other hand, is a mixture of unleavened and scalded dough. It has the elasticity of unleavened dough and the glutinousness of scalded dough. Its most common application is in making flatbreads.
"Semi-scalded dough? If that exists, is there also a semi-leavened dough? If semi-leavened dough exists, is it a mixture of unleavened and leavened dough?"
Hearing Akisame Koetsuji's explanation, Okabe asked a question. It suddenly occurred to him that if unleavened and scalded dough could be combined to utilize their respective properties, then perhaps leavened and unleavened dough could also be combined.
"That's an excellent question. I can tell you for certain that semi-leavened dough exists. The most famous example is Xi'an's Baijimo. Its texture is firm, able to withstand the rich grease of La Zhi Rou without becoming soggy and falling apart like fully leavened bread would after soaking up the juices.
As for how to distinguish between leavened and semi-leavened dough, the key is the degree of rising. Fully leavened dough doubles in size after proofing, while semi-leavened dough expands to one and a half times its original size.
Controlling it mainly depends on the amount of yeast used and the fermentation temperature.
Facing Okabe's question, Akisame Koetsuji gave him an appreciative look before explaining further.
"We'll discuss applications in more detail later. For now, let me tell you about the last of the four basic doughs: oil dough. Be careful not to confuse it with oil pastry.
Oil dough is made by mixing flour and cooked oil evenly, then adding water and kneading it into a ball. Oil pastry, on the other hand, is a combination of flour and lard.
In Chinese pastry-making, oil dough and oil pastry are an inseparable pair. Basically, wherever oil dough is used, oil pastry is used as well."
As he spoke, his hands never stopped moving. Akisame Koetsuji made all four types of dough and lined them up neatly in a row for Okabe to observe.
"These four types of dough form the basis for 90% of Chinese dough-based cuisine. Once you've mastered these four, your Bai'an skills will be officially at the beginner's level."
Looking at Okabe's earnest expression, Akisame Koetsuji nodded to himself.
That a five-year-old child could endure such a tedious lecture proved that Okabe's heart for cooking was steadfast. All that remained was constant practice.
As for training his physical functions.
"For the next few days, you'll focus on unleavened dough. I will teach you a new kneading technique that allows you to use your entire body's strength during the process, infusing it into the dough to make its texture even more elastic.
Furthermore, for every ball of dough you finish kneading, your body will get a workout. If you knead continuously for a long time, you might even be able to comprehend something new."
Akisame Koetsuji's words made Okabe's eyes light up.
It can train his kneading technique, strengthen his physique, make the kneaded dough more elastic, and even give him a chance to learn a new skill... How could such an all-encompassing technique exist in this world?!
Just as Okabe was feeling skeptical, a system notification sound suddenly echoed in his mind.
[Detected that the Host has joined Ryōzanpaku and is being personally taught kneading techniques by Special-Grade Chef Akisame Koetsuji. Triggering Growth Mission.]
[Growth Mission]: Kneading? I'll knead the smoothest dough in the world!
[Mission Content]: Knead dough using the method taught by Akisame Koetsuji.
[Time Limit]: Permanent
[Mission Reward]: For every 100 dough balls kneaded using the method taught by Akisame Koetsuji, increase Martial Value by 0.01 (Ineffective after Martial Value exceeds 30)
[Mission Reward]: Knead over 1000 dough balls in a single day to obtain the prerequisite skill, Rotating Kneading Method (Purple), for White Silk Rotation (Gold)
_____
🔥 New releases are live! 🔥
📚 New story: Something is Wrong with Ash's Pokémon Journey
🤪 Generosity Overload: Our calculators glitched and told us to give you 25% off!
✅ Get immediate access to 40 early chapters for all stories.
✅ Enjoy exclusive material and special announcements!
Help us unlock these community rewards:
🎯 100 Powerstones = +1 Bonus Chapter for everyone
🚀 140 MEMBERS = +5 extra chapters across ALL STORIES!
👻 P - Walnutchan